Combination plug and socket device



Nov. 17, 1931. B. F. MULDOON COMBINATION'PLUG AND SOCKET DEVICE Ffiled Dec. 8, 1925 rl ln.

INVENTOR. W 5 MM,

i- 14841.22, QATTORNEw.

Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE BERNARD I. MULDOON, OF MOONTAINVIEW, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY ,HYMAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK COMBINATION PLUG AND SOCKET DEVIOE Application filed December 8, 1925.

My invention relates to a combination plug and socket device, and will be understood by reading the following description taken in connection with the accompanying draw- 7 ings, in which Fig. l is a view showing the interior of one of the casing members with the metallic parts in position, the socket being shown in section;

Fig.2 is a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 with the other easing member in place;

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 with the other casing member in place;' and Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of the contact strips with, a plug contact member in position.

Referring to the drawings, the device comprises two casing parts 1 and 2 of insulating material and preferably of moldable mate'- rial commonly used in the manufacture of plugs and sockets. Each of the parts 1 and 2 is provided with a recess, the two recesses mating to form a chamber 3 in which a metalhe socket 4 may be placed. The outer end of the parts 1 and 2 are grooved, as shown at 5, thus forming an annular shoulder 6 which projects inwardly sufficiently to surround the outer end of the socket 4. Each of the parts 1 and 2 is also provided with mating grooves 7 and 8 into which are placed the contact strips 9 and 10, respectively, as shown in Fig. 1. Preferably these members are placed on edge, one-half lying within the grooves 7 and 8 in the part 1 and the -3 other half in the similar adjacent grooves in the part 2. Each of the parts 1 and 2 is also provided with openings or channels 11 and 12 which communicate with the grooves 7 and '8. The openings 11 in the parts 1 and 2 and also the openings 12 therein, are so arranged that they come in alinement with each other when the parts are placed together, as shown in Fig. 2. Contact strips 13 and 14 are electrically connected with the members 9 and 10, respectively. The strip 10 and the contact 14 are shown in Fig. 4.. Each of the contact strips 14 has its freeend portions '15 and l6 doubled back toward the contact strip so that the ends are resilient. The utility of this function will be pointed out later.

Serial No. 73,969.

hold the contact strip 10 a *ay from the side of the socket and the end 19 of the strip 10 constitutes the center contact of the socket. When these parts are assembled, as above described, thcy are placed in one of the casing parts 1 or 2. This is accomplished by sticking the ends 15 of the contact strips 13 and 14 into the openings 11; and 12 of the part 1, for instance, as shown in Fig. 2. At the same time, the socket passes into the chamber 3 and the strips 9 and 10 into the channels 7 and 8. At this stage of the assembling the metal parts are in place, one-half exposed and the other half in place in the casing art.

The other part of the casing is then paced in position by sticking the ends 16 of the members 13 and 14 into the corresponding openings 11 and 12, whereupon the desired device is assembled andby placin a bolt 21 tlfirough the openings provided therefor in t e on the end thereof, the parts are held securely in place. It will be noted from Fig. 1 that the ends of the strips 9 and 10 project from the casing parts 1 and 2, thus constituting plug contacts which may be of the standard form and may therefore be plugged into the standard plug socket. The openings 11 and 12 pass through the corresponding parts 1 and 2, as shown in Fig. 2, and the ends 15 and'16 of the contact members 13 and 14 constitute resilient sockets for the insertion of plug contacts of the standard type. For instance, the protruding ends of the members 9 and 10 could be plugged into the openings like 11 and 12, thus making the usual contacts and establishing the usual circuits. By the provision of the means above described, the device contains a screw socket and two plug sockets and itself constitutes aplug.

parts 1 and 2, and by placing a nut 22 There is only one faste means for holding the parts together on this assures simpllcit of construction and ease of assembly and t e parts are held securely in place by the insu ating casing members which are molded exactly to the proper dimensions with suitable chambers and openings for accommodating the metallic parts; The socket is held securely in place by the shoulder 6 and the parts 1 and 2 are prevented from rela tive movement because of the fact that the strips 9 and 10 are laced equally in these members, as is also t e socket and the plug contact members 13 and 14. This construction has many advantages, chief of which are its simplicity, accessibility and ruggedness.

I claim: In a device of the class described, a body having achamber with a socket therein, a

plurality of channels connecting with said chamber, strips in said channels extending beyond said body to form contacts, one of said strips extending through an opening in the bottom of said socket and having a bent end received within said socket and con tacting With the bottom thereof to hold the socket in position in the chamber, the other of said strips having a bent end received within the socket and forming a center contact therefor, an insulating member disposed between said bent ends and having an opening through which said other strip passes,

and transversely disposed contact strips connected to said first named stri s and lying in channels in said body and a apted to en gage with plug contacts.

BERNARD F. MULDOON. 

